Raila Odinga, the leader of the Azimio party, has received the support of a group of young leaders from thirteen African nations in his bid for the top position on the African Union (AU) Commission.
His vision for the continent was deemed authentic by the youths under the Pan African Youth Convention and Cross-section of Africa Major Youth Stakeholder Groups in a statement. They went on to say that he doesn’t back down from the very real difficulties facing Africa. “He has a burning desire to bring about progressive change throughout the continent. He is a positive, strong, and passionate individual.
In fact, he is forthright and honest about what must be done and the AUC’s role in achieving this overwhelming desire to be recognized, stand out, and finally make a difference, according to the statement. The statement highlighted Odinga’s “unparalleled ability to reflect on the actions of our forbearers and connect the past to the present and our aspirations for the future of all people of African descent within and beyond our motherland Africa” as a fervent Pan-Africanist and supporter of the African Renaissance.
“The revolutionary poetry of Amilcar Cabral, the unwavering African ideals of Modibo Keita, the prolific African writings of Nandi Azikiwe, the ideology and African cultural theories of Leopold Senghor, the revolutionary temerity of Thomas Sankara, the Africanization pursuits of David Dacko, the spirits of the erudite and visionary Kwame Nkrumah,” it said.
The youth leaders described him as a statesman who had served the country honorably and demonstrated exceptional leadership in his roles as Minister, Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and AU High Representative for Infrastructure Development, which they claimed qualified him for the position. As a cornerstone of the African Renaissance, they said, “Rt Hon. Raila has espoused diligence, integrity, selflessness, democratic ideals, and a rare grasp on continental infrastructure connectivity and its salient role in linking African markets and promoting free movement of people.” “Given this context, we hereby declare our resolute endorsement of Rt Hon. Raila Amollo Odinga for the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission.”